Global Warming

Global warming is a problem that is often put off as not important, or not important yet. I can assure you that this is a problem that needs to be accessed now, or it will be too late. Global warming is the rapid increase in the earth's average surface temperature, mostly created during the past century primarily due to the greenhouse gases released as people burn fossil fuels19. This is like a permanent pandemic20. Global warming is a dangerous issue. This will not only effect the earth and it's wildlife, but will also affect us people.

The average rate of temperature increase since 1981 (0.32° F) has been more than twice the rate of 0.13° F per decade21. This may not seem like a lot, but this increase has been destroying our foundational glaciers. Global warming affects so much more than just our glaciers though.

Warmer temperatures worsen many types of disasters too. They worsen storms, heat waves, floods, and droughts. When the climate gets warmer it creates an atmosphere that can collect, maintain, and drop more water, changing the weather patterns in a way that wet areas become wetter and dry areas become drier. the number of costly weather disasters is expected to rise. 22

Oceans

Oceans have gamely absorbed over 90 percent of the global warming born from people since the 1970s, which causes many changes in the oceans23. Water temperature changes can directly affect the development and growth of most fish and cephalopods (like octopus and squid)24. Waters that are getting warmer also threaten to cause mass migration of marine species in search of the correct conditions for feeding and spawning, which causes areas to lose schools of fish25.

The ocean's coral reefs are also under jeopardy. Warming water causes coral bleaching. When coral is stressed, it loses its symbiotic algae and pigments, which causes it to turn white and potentially die. Coral bleaching hurts the coral reef ecosystems that are home to most of the beautiful oceans biodiversity. 26

Air Pollution

Warming temperatures is even worsening air pollution. It is raising the ground level ozone, which is from the pollution from cars, factories and other sources26. It is the main ingredient of smog, the hotter it gets, the more pollution we have26.

Imagine a world with even more pollution and smog in the air. A world where everybody would have to wear face masks, not for a pandemic, but because the only air we have is too dirty. Sadly though, some of the world does not have to imagine it, they are already living it.

Wildlife Extinction

You may not have even thought that global warming would effect the extinction of wildlife, but it causes higher extinction rates. As the temperatures change, the animals that inhabit both land and sea may not adapt quickly enough. Some species may make it, some won't.

Animals are already struggling to adapt to the weather by moving to higher altitudes to escape global warming. A 2015 study revealed that vertebrae species are already vanishing 114 times faster than they should be, this is linked to climate change, pollution, and deforestation. More than 25,000 species are in danger and climate change is responsible for 8%, or 2000 species. Not to mention all of the animals in each species28. 27

More Ocean Impact

The climate change also directly damages the marine ecosystems. The oceans are absorbing our excess emissions and in result the oceans are becoming acidic. The acidity threatens the marine life, particularly the shellfish with calcium carbonate shells or skeletons like mollusks, crabs, and corals. This happens because the more acid there is the weaker the shells get. The communities that depend on the $1 billion annual harvest of oysters, clams, and other shelled mollusks face long term economic risks.27

A warming atmosphere especially creates vulnerability in the polar regions. The Arctic temperatures are raising twice as fast as they are everywhere else, which means the world's ice sheets are melting fast. It is estimated that our oceans will be one to four feet higher by the year 2100. That will terrorize entire island nations, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and Mumbai, Sydney, and Rio de Janeiro.27

Although the damage has already been done, and we are already paying the price, we can reduce the future effects. Car pooling, electric cars, and switching to renewable resources are just a few ways to slow or even stop global warming29. Switching to globally safe lifestyles are easy and save people a lot of money. These simple ideas could save the world.